Category: Christian Leadership

Inward Discipline #4: Study

19th Century English cleric and author Charles Caleb Colton went on to say, “He that to what he sees, adds observation, and to what he reads, reflection, is in the right road to knowledge, provided that in scrutinizing the hearts of others, he neglects not his own.”

Jesus made it unmistakably clear that the knowledge of the truth will set us free. As He put it in John 8:32, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Good feelings will not free us. Ecstatic experiences will not free us. Getting “high on Jesus” will not free us. Without a knowledge of the truth, we will not be free.

Study is a specific kind of experience in which through careful attention to reality the mind is enabled to move in a certain direction. Remember, the mind will always take on an order conforming to the order upon which it concentrates.

Click here to learn more from Richard Foster on the Discipline of Study

The Daniel Plan

With this month’s focus on Fasting, I appreciated reading Pastor Rick Warren’s collaboration with Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark Hymen entitled The Daniel Plan.

Warren explained that he grew up in a family that didn’t drink alcohol or smoke, but all food—no matter how unhealthy it might be—was considered okay. Blessed with good health, a high metabolism, and an active life, he could eat everything he wanted and as much as he wanted and never gain a pound.

Warren worked long days, ate meals on the run, and spent hours sitting while leading meetings, counseling people, and studying for sermons.  He began adding a few pounds every year, but because his energy remained high and he didn’t care much about his appearance, Warren ignored his growing health problem.

When Warren turned to the Bible for inspiration, he developed a special plan.  The Daniel Plan is far more than a diet. It is a lifestyle program based on biblical principles and five essential components: Food, Fitness, Focus, Faith, and Friends.

Click here to learn more about The Daniel Plan’s 40 Days to a Healthier Life